There is a super-simple way to get students to recognize tone, understand character, and experiment with voice all at the same time. This year I had my students assume the identity of characters in the novels we were reading and write fake Tweets from the perspective of that character. I instructed them to think of … Continue Reading
I came home from school nearly every day this week with that deep tiredness that you feel right down to your bones. It has never been this acute or severe in my 18 years of teaching. A colleague pulled me aside in my first year and said, “teaching maybe the only profession in which your … Continue Reading
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Don’t you just love those teachers that are boundless wells of optimism? You know the ones I’m talking about; they are easy to spot. They believe they can change the world from their classrooms. They teach students beyond the curriculum. They inspire them to greatness with words of wisdom. And they offer the means to … Continue Reading
I teach a course that ends with a big standardized exam at the end. The first few years I taught it, I used to do test prep by the book. I gave my students a sample exam each quarter. They had 42 minutes to complete 40 of the 55 multiple-choice questions and I counted the … Continue Reading
I am the first to admit that sitting down to plan lessons is not my favorite part of teaching. I love spinning my wheels waxing creative about how I can make literature come alive for my students, yey all that energy takes place in my head rather than on paper. Almost every year I vow … Continue Reading
The poor short story – overlooked, under-appreciated, and neglected. Ask an English teacher what they teach and a litany of novels is sure to follow. Poetry has more prestige as well. Six poets have recited poems at presidential inaugurations, but no one has embraced the podium to read a short story. I, too, have brushed … Continue Reading
Teaching tone is a difficult thing, especially to high schoolers. Since it is such a challenge, it doesn’t get its due diligence but it is one of the most important literacy skills a reader needs to possess. Here are some common problems I have run into in my classroom when teaching tone: They don’t know … Continue Reading
I know that your back pocket has a bunch of tried and true poems, but maybe there’s room for a few more. Here are five poems all written in the last 25 years that are hidden gems. Maybe you can unwind with one each day at the end of your teaching day. Maybe you want … Continue Reading
Names and numbers. I say that to my students over and over again — their college application is just a series of names and numbers. Names Names of courses taken Names of clubs and activities Names of sports they played Numbers GPA Class rank SAT/ACT scores State test scores And while all those names and … Continue Reading
